Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 46. CRIMINAL PROCEDURE

CHAPTER 13. PRETRIAL MOTIONS

Part 3. Suppression of Evidence

Suppression Of Confession Or Admission

46-13-301. Suppression of confession or admission. (1) A defendant may move to suppress as evidence any confession or admission given by the defendant on the ground that it was involuntary. The motion must be in writing and state facts showing why the confession or admission was involuntary.

(2) If the allegations of the motion state facts that, if true, show that the confession or admission was involuntary, the court shall conduct a hearing into the merits of the motion. The prosecution must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the confession or admission was voluntary.

(3) The issue of the admissibility of the confession or admission may not be submitted to the jury. If the confession or admission is determined to be admissible, the circumstances surrounding the making of the confession or admission may be submitted to the jury as bearing upon the credibility or the weight to be given to the confession or admission.

(4) If the motion is granted, the confession or admission is not admissible in evidence against the movant at the trial of the case.

History: En. 95-1805 by Sec. 1, Ch. 196, L. 1967; R.C.M. 1947, 95-1805; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 44, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 173, Ch. 800, L. 1991.